keller



(No Model.)

Patented July 23, 1889 5 qwiimowo (No Model.)

L. KELLER. SLEEPING CAR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented July 23, 1889.

I] ll TI vvuewto o A Y Patented July 23, 1889.

fill Illl W M NIL M ML 11 .NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS KELLER, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

SLEEPLNG-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,353, dated July 23,1889.

Application filed January 21, 1889. Serial No. 296,950. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS KELLER, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sleeping-Oars, ofwhich the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as toenable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, when taken inconnection with the drawings, of which Figure 1 is a floor plan of asection of a car when arranged as a day-car. Fig. 2 is a like view whenarranged as a sleeping-car or night-oar. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of acar when arranged as a day-car, showing the removable partition in placeon one side. Fig. 4 is an end view of a seat, showing the end frame.Fig. 5 is a view of a lower berth, showing a modification of cushions.Fig. 6 is an interior view of a section, showing the berth-curtains Fig.7 is a view from the aisle of the curtains between the aisle and theberth. Fig. 8 is a floor plan of my improved car. Fig. 9 is a floor planof a modification.

Fig. 10 is a floor plan of another modification.

This my invention relates to improvements in the seats and berths ofsleeping-cars; and it consists in making the frame A, at the end of theseat next the aisle, of curved shape, and also making the top in acurved, rounded, or sloping manner, having the seat and back cushions ofa width less than the width of the seat, so arranged that they may, whenforming a berth, be placed close to the side of the car, so as to leavean unoccupied space between the outer edge of the berth and the outerportion of the end frame next the aisle, making the upper berth of lesswidth than the seat-frame of the lower berth, having a curtain-rod toconform to the contour of the end frames of the seat, and the variouscombinations hereinafter specified and claimed.

l-Ieretofore and before this my invention sleeping-cars have been madeby placing at either side of a central aisle seats made with straightend frames, arranged so that two seats are back to back against adivision from the end frame to the side of the car, the cushions of theback and seat being so arranged as to inove out and form a berth whenthe car is adapted for sleeping purposes, each section being cut off:from the adjacent section by an interposed partition and from the aisleby a curtain between the aisle and the berth.

This my improvement consists in making the'end frame A of the seat of acurved or bent form, as shown in Fig. 1, and also in making the top ofthe end frame A on a curve downward in either direction from the centerto the outer edges, as shown in Fig. 4. By using this form of end frameI am able to place it nearer the center of the car, and consequentlymake the seat wider, while at the same time the end frame does notinterfere with or obstruct the aisle, as it curves back from the centerof the aisle at its higher parts. The division between the seats isopposite the center of this end frame A at O, as is usual in cars ofthis character; but owing to the curve in the end frame this division isnot so long as the width of the berth at its widest part. The frameconsists of the end frame A, the division or partition 0, and the underframe 0 0, (shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2,) on which theseat-cushions rest. WVithin the frame 0 c are fixed boxes 00 00, (shownin Fig. 3,) in which the pillows are kept during the day. The partition0 forms the back of the seat and has placed against it the cushions 1and at when the car is arranged as a day-car.

The upper berth K, Fig. 3, is hinged to the side of the car and fastenedby suitable bolts in its closed position, as is usual in cars of thisclass.

The cushions 1 2 3 4 are arranged on the back and seat, so as to bemovable and adjustable, as they are usually arranged in cars of thisclass. These cushions are, however, narrower than the space between theend frame A and the side of the car where they are placed, as is shownin Figs. 1 and 3, being made not wider than the back frame of the seat,and preferably as much narrower than the length of the back frame as theback frame is less than the space between the end frame A and the sideof the car, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

WVhen the car is arranged for day service, the cushions 1, 2, 3, and 4are placed in the center of the seat-frames, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,the space on the seat-frame at either side of the cushion being filledout with auxiliarycushions, if desired; or the cushion may be placed atone end of the seat-frame and the auxiliary cushion put in at the otherend; or those spaces may be left open for the storage of packages ortravelers necessaries.

The end frame A has on its upper edge an arm -rest a, extending out fromthe frame toward the cushion. A like arm-rest a may be applied at theother side, if desired.

Vhen the car is adjusted for night service, the seat-cushions 2 3 areslipped forward, at the same time being pushed close against the side ofthe car and the back cushions 1 4 are brought down and likewise pushedto the side of the car, resting on the seat-frame c c and the removablecross-bar s between the frames 0 c, as shown in Fig. 2, thus making aberth somewhat narrower than the width between the end frame A and theside of the car.

The curtain-rod R, at. or near the top of the car, follows the contourof the end frames A A, extending straight from over the edge of one endframe to the edge of the other end frame, as shown by dotted line markedR in Fig. 2.

The upper berth is made as upper berths in this class of cars areordinarily made, but in width equal only to the lower berth, as shown inFig. 2. By this arrangement a clear space or inclosure is made betweenthe curtain and the berths of sufficient size, and it maybe utilized fordressing or undressing without exposure to the other occupants of thecar. This space also allows a free circulation of air in front of theberth inside the curtain.

It will be seen that this construction of sleeping-car gives greaterwidth to the seat, and at the same time increases the width of the aisleat certain parts thereof-that is, in the center of the curve or recessat D of the end frame A A-and while the end frames project nearer thecenter of the aisle at or near the floor they do not come so near thecenter of the aisle about three feet from the floor, or near thehip-line of a person passing along the aisle, as in the ordinaryconstruction of cars of this class.

The arrangement of cushions 1 2 3 4: may be modified, as shown in Fig.5, when the seat-cushionsfl 3 remain stationary when the car is changedfrom a night to a (lay car and the back cushions 1 t are moved from theback to the position between the seat-frames to form the berth. Thisarrangement gives a cushion-covering on the entire seat when the car isarranged as a day-car, and also leaves a space between the curtains andthe berth proper when made up as a night-car. Various othermodifications of the cushions would readily suggest themselves.

There is provided along the edge of the upper berth a rod S, on whichthe curtain s is hung so as to reach the lower berth and come in contactwith the ends of the cushions l 4, the upper berth being, when down forfrom the aisle are hung on the rod R, (shown more especially in Fig. 7,)Which are made in the pieces Q and Q The curtains or pieces Q arefastened at their top to the rod R on its curved part, and at theirbottom to the end frames of the seat A, and may be made to extend to thefloor or to fasten to the end frames near the top of said frames,bein gin width suiiicient to reach from one edge to the other of the endframes A. These curtains may also be fastened to the edge of thepartition 0', being the removable portion of the partition between theseveral sections. This partition 0 proj ects slightly beyond the end ofpartition (J, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the curtain will make a firmclose joint with it when drawn taut from the rod to the en d frame A.The curtain Q is of length suflicient to reach from the rod R to thefloor, and in width to reach from the curtain Q to the adjacent 9 edgeof the next curtain Q, and is provided along each edge with buttons orloops to fasten to the corresponding loops or buttons of the curtains Q,and may be fastened to buttons on the edge of the end frame A. I preferthat these curtains be made with little or no full.- ness, so that whenin position they will keep in their proper place.

011 the end frame A, I provide a handle II, which maybe grasped by aperson in the aisle to get support. This is preferably made to conformto the curve of the end frame, as shown, but may be made of any suitableshape.

Fig. 8 is a plan of a section of a car as ar-- ranged with my improvedend frame as I prefer to apply the samethat is, with a curved end frameA at each seat.

A modification is shown in Fig. 9, where the curved end frames A areintroduced in pairs opposite one another at certain parts of the car.

Another modification is shown in Fig. 10, where the curved end frames Aare introduced alternately through the car.

I much prefer the arrangement shown in Fig. 8; but the modifications maybe used in some instances with advantage.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination,with a car-seat, of an end frame curved in itshorizontal section, with a concave side toward the center of the car, asspecified.

2. The combination, in a sleeping-car, of a series of seats having theend frames thereof curved in horizontal section, as specified and setfort-h.

3. The combination, in a sleeping-car, of a car-seat curved in itshorizontal section and 6. The combination, in a sleeping-car, of a fixedcurtain covering the adjacent ends of two berths and a curtain at thecenter of the length of the section extending from one fixed 15 curtainto another, substantially as specified.

LOUIS KELLER.

Witnesses:

J OSEPH J. SULLIVAN, E. G. THOMPSON.

